Hockey's stars who aren't paid that way

Training camps will open around the National Hockey League this week and there will be plenty of attention given to players like Daniel Brière and Vincent Lecavalier who have found new homes.

Those two superstars were bought out by their old clubs this summer because their contracts were deemed to be too expensive. At the end of this season, there will certainly be another handful of underachieving players in line to be bought out.

But, while buyouts and misguided deals often steal the headlines in the NHL, there are plenty of terrific contracts that go under the radar. This week, we examine the 10 best contracts in the league right now: players who will have no problem living up to the dollar figures in their deals.

1. John Tavares (five more seasons, $5.5-million cap hit)

The Islanders haven’t made a lot of smart business decisions over the past two decades, but locking up Tavares to a long-term deal last summer is certainly an exception. Tavares has emerged as a top-five talent in the NHL and this deal is ridiculously cheap when compared to other superstars. Consider this: Shawn Horcoff, Mike Ribeiro, Patrik Elias and Daniel Alfredsson will all carry the exact same cap hit as Tavares this season.

The going rate for a reliable starting goaltender in the National Hockey League begins in the range of $5.5-million range. Two netminders who are similar to Anderson — Jimmy Howard and Mike Smith — signed deals in that neighbourhood this past summer. However, Anderson has provided elite goaltending for the Senators at a fraction of that cost since joining them in 2011 and still has two more seasons left on his deal.

Karl Alzner. Photo by Ted Rhodes, Calgary Herald

3. Karl Alzner (four more seasons, $2.8-million cap hit)

When Canada was making its men’s hockey roster list for the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Alzner’s name was near the top among left shot defenceman who can skate and play shutdown roles. Alzner does that nightly for the Washington Capitals and will be doing it through 2016-17 at a very reasonable price.

4. P.A. Parenteau (three more seasons, $4-million cap hit)

Over the past three seasons, Parenteau has been a consistent performer, collecting 163 points during that span. That puts him in the same ballpark as several other high profile players such as Patrick Marleau (168), Marian Hossa (165) and James Neal (162), but Parenteau makes significantly less than those players and still has three more years left on his deal.

5. Nate Thompson (four more seasons, $1.6-million cap hit)

With Lecavalier bought out over the summer, Thompson has a chance to become the Lightning’s second-line centre on a line with Ryan Malone and Teddy Purcell. Even if he doesn’t pan out in that role, Thompson will certainly be a fixture in the Tampa lineup for years to come. No other forward in the NHL has a cap hit under $1.7 million for as long as Thompson.

Playing alongside Sidney Crosby isn’t exactly tough to do, but Kunitz has thrived in his role on Pittsburgh’s top line. He would have scored 37 goals over the course of a full season in 2012-13 and has a pair of Stanley Cup rings. Those are pretty good qualities to have in a player who has a cap hit less than $4 million.

At the age of 24, Pacioretty is just entering the prime of his career and has led the Canadiens in scoring each of the past two seasons. During that span, he has ranked in the top 20 in goals scored in the NHL and cast aside any doubts about his previous injury history. Signed through 2018-19 at a cap hit of less than $5 million, Pacioretty has the potential to be a superstar without the big price tag.

Flyers Sean Couturier. Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

8. Sean Couturier (two more seasons, $1.75-million cap hit)

There has been lots of talk about players trying to cash in on their second contract after their entry-level deals expire. Couturier, however, is not one of those young stars; he agreed to a two-year contract extension that takes him through 2015-16. Couturier had an inconsistent sophomore season, but, if he can recapture some of the magic from his rookie campaign, this contract will be a bargain for the Flyers.

Travis Hamonic #3 of the New York Islanders. Photo by Bruce Bennett, Getty Images.

9. Travis Hamonic (seven more seasons, $3.85-million cap hit)

Hamonic has emerged as a top-pairing defenceman in the NHL, logging important minutes for the Islanders. His underrated skill was noticed by Hockey Canada, which invited him to the Olympic orientation camp this summer. It appears as though the Islanders made a wise decision by locking him up for seven years at a relatively reasonable cap hit.

P.K. Subban #76 of the Montreal Canadiens poses with the James Norris Memorial Trophy after he was named winner for 2012-13 NHL season. Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

10. P.K. Subban (one more season, $2.875-million cap hit)

Subban is the biggest one-season bargain in the NHL for the 2013-14 season. In the first year of his deal, he won a Norris Trophy. Now entering the final year of his contract, he will be looking to prove that accomplishment wasn’t a fluke while also trying to make Canada’s team for the Olympics. A highly motivated Subban at $2.875 million is great value for the Habs, who will have to pay for this eventually.